What makes me tick

According to Joe Cohen, my personal coach for more than three years, personal values are a powerful tool for evaluating what’s important.

Here is a list of 7 of my personal values. Which ones do we share?

Invest long term

I focus largely on systems and how work is done rather than endlessly chasing individual tasks. The long term is also why I seek “win-win” outcomes.

Find the right questions

The big picture is like a puzzle. Putting the pieces together requires getting to the right questions.

Be accessible

I return messages, keep an open mind, and share context.

Let people shine

When directing work, I give people clear objectives, responsibility to hit the goals, and credit when they do.

Keep it simple

I divide complicated problems into subsets of three. My friend Nicholas G. Mac Connell taught me so much in this area. His book, Play life Ahead, shares helpful skills.

Look ahead

Like Wayne Gretzsky, I skate to where the puck is going, not where it has been. (This is figurative. I do not actually ice skate.)

Focus on customers

I stay rooted in the problems customers are trying to solve.